Luis de la Fuente Defends Rodri After World Cup Draw
Luis de la Fuente did not bother to disguise his irritation.
Barely days after Spain opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a flat 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, the national coach has launched a fierce defence of Rodri, dismissing claims that the Manchester City midfielder is suffocating Spain’s attacking play.
The accusation is a familiar one: that Rodri, with his methodical control and tempo-setting style, slows Spain’s transitions and blunts their edge in the final third. After a goalless stalemate in a game La Roja were expected to dominate, the spotlight swung quickly and sharply onto the man at the base of midfield.
De la Fuente was having none of it.
Speaking to El Partidazo de Cope, the Spain boss pushed back hard against the narrative and questioned how anyone could pin the team’s creative problems on a player he sees as the heartbeat of his side.
“Good heavens, please. For you to say things like this,” he snapped, clearly exasperated by the line of criticism. “Some people can say one thing or another, but in any case, I find it highly insulting to say that about the best player in the world.”
That phrase was no throwaway compliment. De la Fuente doubled down, framing Rodri not just as important, but as the benchmark in his position.
“Rodrigo is the best player in the world, and even at 50% he's much better than most midfielders in the world. Even at 50%,” he insisted, underlining just how central the midfielder remains to Spain’s structure. “And with us, he's a player of exceptional importance, with fantastic clarity and vision, balance. Rodrigo is a guiding light for us.”
The message was unmistakable: if Spain misfired in their opener, don’t look to Rodri as the problem. In De la Fuente’s eyes, he is the solution.
The coach then widened the lens. This, he suggested, is not just about one player or one performance, but about how Spanish stars are treated compared with their counterparts elsewhere. The criticism, he implied, carries a different edge when the target wears the Spain shirt.
“Would they dare say that about other players who are also considered among the best in the world? Would they dare? I don't think so,” he said. “But since they're Spanish, and you can say things about our players that you don't say about others.”
It was a pointed challenge to pundits and fans who have rushed to question the midfield anchor after a single frustrating night. De la Fuente has thrown his weight firmly behind Rodri. The real test now is whether Spain’s performances catch up with his conviction.
